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Theme Of Theseus In The Great Gatsby

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Fitzgerald’s quote can relate to almost every hero story ever made. In most hero stories, there is some drama which results into the hero going on a journey or quest to prove him/herself. For example in the story Theseus in Edith Hamilton’s edition, a young man must prove to his father that he is his. When the young man grows up he lifts a rock and retrieves the sandals and sword that his father had left for him, and sets out on his journey to find his father. Although, the sandals and sword proved the young man’s origins, the king and his wife were still skeptical about trusting this boy. The queen then tried to poison Theseus and was banished by her own husband. Already the story has the theme of a tragedy, but more is to come. Another way this story proves Scott Fitzgerald’s quote is when Theseus volunteers to go to the Labyrinth. …show more content…

Even when Theseus arrived at The Labyrinth, drama and scandal continued to follow him. The mistress of the Maze fell madly obsessed with the young man and wanted to help him only if he agreed to marry her after he defeated the Minotaur and escaped. All throughout the text are examples of what make up a tragedy and a great hero story. Every story in mythology has some type of tragedy or scandal that makes the hero go on their quest and captures the reader or audience. We can see this theme in both Norse and Greek mythology which is why F. Scott Fitzgerald’s quote really describes all hero stories the

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